SF has a soft spot in its heart for hole-in-the-wall Asian restaurants or snack shops. John’s Snack & Deli is a popular shop in the FiDi, made famous by its kimchee burrito. I am a bit ashamed to admit that I have not tried John’s Snack & Deli, but after speaking with a trusted dining partner who has quite the Asian food street cred, I learned of an even (could it be?) better spot to visit.

Enter HRD Coffee Shop, a greasy spoon diner situated on 3rd St between Bryant and Taber Alley, a short hop away from AT&T Park. The slogan is “Good peeps. Nice eats. Grab a seat.” but I can ensure you will be wanting to grab more than just a seat…how about half the menu?

Starting at 6AM Monday through Friday you can order killer breakfast burritos like the Meat Lover (ham, bacon, sausage, cheddar) or more Far East influenced Korean burrito with spicy pork or chicken and a load of kimchee. The lunch menu looks even more tempting with sweet chili fried pork chops, Mongolian style beef and rice plate or the Sloppy JoJo, an Asian play on the popular gut-bomb complete with spicy pork and of course, spam. If sandwiches are more your speed, opt for the highly-acclaimed Mongolian style cheesesteak, a hearty mess of beef, bell peppers and mozzarella.

Just a piece of advice, arrive early to avoid the lunch rush and beat the line. Also, make sure to bring cash, HRD does not want your plastic up in this joint!

Anne Pao is a contributing food writer for SF Station and Yum as well as the SF Burger Examiner. When she is not satisfying carnivorous tendencies, you can find her adventuring in the Bay area outdoors. For more Pao reads check out her blog at http://sftaoofpao.com